To those not in the know, vegetarian food conjures
up images of boring, bland food. But as myriad cafés sprout up in Goa, there
are a few who have taken the vegan/organic route, as not only a healthy
food-option, but a delicious one as well. “For those who are not accustomed to
this cuisine, they tend to think these menus are tasteless, but since I began
my vegan/vegetarian restaurant in 2001, I have managed to convince many that it
is not only a healthy choice, but a delicious and enjoyable one too,” explains
Pravin Desai who co-runs his restaurant-cum-wellness eco resort, Blue Planet
Cafe at Agonda with his wife Urmila.
Awarded the 2012 NDTV Good Times Food Awards and
TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence Award (2013 and 2014) authenticates this
fact. Snuggled in the midst of nature, the whole concept of the food and
eco-resort lends itself to being in unison with nature. “Our raw foods (organic
salads) and mixed cuisine, which my wife personally makes and supervises, is a
major draw. We stress more on homemade food. Most of our items like tofu or
peanut butter are made in our kitchen,” reveals Pravin, whose upcoming aquatic
body work (water therapy pool) and yoga sessions fit right into his wholesome
healthy concept.
Open throughout the year, Pravin is yet to impress
the locals or Indian tourists. “For the last two years, we have a number of
Indians from Bangalore and Delhi who have been frequenting our place, but 99%
of our clientele till date is from abroad. International clients are more open
to new concepts and more willing to experiment,” he surmises.
On the Northern belt in Anjuna however, Elizabeth
Saal is heartened to see a large Indian clientele visit her famed Lila Cafe.
“When we initially began 20 years ago, we had only foreigners who were more
accustomed to non-spicy cuisine. Then Indians from abroad began to visit and
today the ratio has reversed with a 30% Indian clientele and 20% foreigners,”
observes Elizabeth attributing the change to the rise in health-consciousness
among the Indian and local people.” While meats are still on the menu of this
German entrepreneur, she says the success of the café lies in the cuisine that
husband Ingo experiments with in the kitchen. Famed for their brunches, Lila
Cafe also serves up some of the most delectable German breads and cakes. “We
make everything ourselves. Earlier I would source the ingredients from abroad,
but now everything is available in Goa and India,” she elucidates.
Bean Me Up at Anjuna is another restaurant that
toes the vegan-only line since Sean Rodrigues took over six years ago. “We are
the only full-fledged vegan restaurant in Goa that does not use animal, dairy
products, honey or canned products in our menu. We make our own condiments,
desserts, dairy-free ice cream, and everything from tofu to tempeh and even the
pro-biotic ‘Kombucha’, ragi and millet pizzas, gluten free foods and juice
cocktails are made in-house,” explains Sean of his high-quality menu that is
equally heavy on the pockets. His menu which experiments with world cuisine
like the Moroccan style stew with mock meat and slow-cooked raw foods has been
making an impression with a loyal European, American and NRI clientele. “The
idea was to cater to locals and to give Goans a delicious and healthy food
option, but it’s yet to catch on,” he says, hoping that the palates will change
soon.